Doji Yasuyo
Doji Yasuyo was a samurai-ko of the Crane Clan, renowned for her beauty and skill with a sword. She was trained by the Kenku Kozue at the age of twenty, and instrumental in the cleansing of the blade Chukandomo a year later. She later married the Shogun Kaneka, and competed in the Celestial Tournament in 1170. Appearance Yasuyo was beautiful samurai-ko that was said to be the image of Lady Doji herself. In spite of this, she was never aware of the fact that she was an image of perfection. Way of the Samurai, p. 25 Early Years Winter Court Yasuyo attended her first winter court in 1153, at the age of fifteen, alongside her brother Doji Nagori and her cousin Doji Kurohito. Secrets of the Crane, p. 48 Training at Kakita Academy Instead she focused on her training, excelling at the Kakita Dueling Academy and also trained under Doji Nakanu-sensei at the Kyuden Doji Dojo in the Doji Magistrate school, so she could better serve her clan. She passed her gempukku in 1154 at the age of sixteen. She remained at Kyuden Doji, continuing her training until the day she would be needed by the Crane Clan. Secrets of the Crane, pp. 48-49 In the Topaz Championship she competed alongside Doji Nagori and Daidoji Hachi, who reached the final, but the winner was Mirumoto Ukira. Secrets of the Crane, p. 77 Destiny On the day of her twentieth birthday, in 1158, Lady Doji appeared to her in a dream. Doji told her of her she had a sacred duty to protect Kurohito, and that she should pick up her grandfather's sword Naishi and seek out the mujina Fuhao. Fuhao would in turn lead her to the kenku sensei Kozue. Yasuyo did as she had been told, leaving Crane lands with only her sword and armor. She told no one except her brother and cousin that she was leaving, and the only reason she gave them was that she had been given a duty by Doji. Doji Yasuyo (Gold flavor) Training with Kozue Yasuyo easily found the mujina Fuhao, who delighted in irritating her on their journey to find Kozue, Creatures of Rokugan, p. 4 - "Strangers" fiction including a close to deadly encounter with a Sanshu Denki. After they found the kenku sensei in the Shinomen Mori and Yasuyo passed his tests, Kozue told her that her destiny was to break the curse of Chukandomo using Naishi. He warned her that only a descendant of Doji could do this, and should she fail the fall from glory would crush the Doji family forever. With little time left, the Kozue brought Yasuyo into the Spirit Realm of Chikushudo, the realm of animals, where they trained for seven years. Prelude to Darkness, Part Four: The Curse, by Rich Wulf Return A year passed in the mortal realm before Yasuyo was returned, and she arrived in the middle of the Fall of Otosan Uchi in 1159. Her training helped her to survive, but she was noticably changed. She was with her brother Nagori in the Imperial City when they witnessed the incident between a young Daidoji Ekiken and Mirumoto Ukira, and the following duel between Ekiken's brother, Daidoji Enai, and the Dragon. The Crane was wounded but Ukira was killed, and Yasuyo she interpreted it as the result of the curse of Chukandomo, and came to see Doji Kurohito to face her destiny. The Price of Excellence, by Shawn Carman Curse of Chukandomo She came to Inari Mura, an outpost where Kurohito had established his headquarter, near Shogun's camp. She told her cousin about the curse of the sword Kurohito wielded, but the Crane Clan Champion decided to keep on using it,certain that he would never fail and capable of avoiding the trigger of the curse. Imperial Guests In 1160 at Kyuden Doji Kurohito was visited by the historian Miya Hatori and his aide Otomo Taneji. Somehow Yasuyo knew something was wrong with Hatori, so she took the opportunity to question Taneji alone, while her cousin and Hatori were making their rounds through the Fantastic Gardens. Secrets of the Crane, pp. 37-38 Hatori's wife, Miya Kamiko, had been kidnapped by agents of the Shadowed Tower conspiracy. Secrets of the Crab, pp. 79-8 The Tower had blackmailed Hatori, who had been requested to pass information on them. Secrets of the Crane, p. 4 Ending the Curse Yasuyo and Kurohito engineered the attempt at breaking the curse. Clan Letter to the Crane #21 (Imperial Herald v2 #6) This year at Toshi Ranbo Yasuyo successfully helped Doji Kurohito end the curse of Chukandomo. Kurohito relinquished the city to the Lion rather than fighting. The blade was disgusted with Kurohito's decision and called forth the souls of all those it had consumed. With the help of Kitsu Hisashi and his fellows in Toshi Ranbo calling forth the blessed Ancestors of Naishi, the Chukandomo's sister sword. Immortal Steel, by Shawn Carman She returned to Kyuden Doji and took up residence there. Betrothed with Kaneka After the Four Winds marched upon the City of the Lost and Hantei Naseru had been crowned Emperor, A New Emperor, by Rich Wulf Doji Akiko offered fealty to Akodo Kaneka in the Phoenix Clan, the closest ally to the Crane, to have access to the military might of the Shogun if a conflict appeared. Akiko and Doji Tanitsu came to met Kaneka at Shiro Shiba to cement an alliance between Kaneka and the Crane, offfering Yasuyo as a bride. Kaneka requested a meeting with Yasuyo before accept. Homecoming, by Shawn Carman Kyruko's Warning In 1166 while visiting Kakita Noritoshi's house at Kyuden Kakita, Yasuyo talked with a Noritoshi's servant. Kakita Kyruko explained Yasuyo that her husband-to-be, Kaneka, had kidnapped a Crane courtier and held him against his will. In the same conversation she slandered the Emperor, Toturi III, and pondered Kaneka would be a traitor seeking the throne. Yasuyo went to seek the truth for her own. All Glory to the Righteous Emperor, by Rich Wulf A Kidnapped Crane Yasuyo went to Toshi Ranbo and sneaked inside the house Kyruko told, which was guarded by Iron Fans. She saw Doji Takeji being questioned under pressure by Kaneka's lieutenant, Shiba Danjuro. Yasuyo irrumped and knocked down the Phoenix, but she was easily defeated by an elderly monk, Heigai. Shadowed Tower Link Kaneka arrived and told Yasuyo the Takeji's situation. Takeji, another Gozoku fellow, contacted a Kaneka's ally, who was horrified to learn of the connection between the Gozoku with the Shadowed Tower, a conspiracy against the leadership of the Scorpion clan. It was led by Shosuro Furuyari who used maho-laced sake, opium, and other substances to sap the will of the weak. The Shadowed Tower had quite a web of blackmail and extortion, and Takeji had suffered it. They supposedly were destroyed in 1159, but in his new duties as as a clerk, sorting and cataloguing intelligence they gathered on their enemies, he found a record of his own affair with the Shadowed Tower agent. The conclusion was that whoever was in charge of this new Gozoku were the same people in charge of the Shadowed Tower. Kaneka also explained that the Emperor was surrounded by Gozoku, and that he was a Gozoku member, but trying to prevent the Emperor from making any more idiot mistakes and giving the conspiracy another chance to sink their hooks into him. Yasuyo undrestood his focus, and joined Kaneka. Blood Hunt In 1166 shortly after the death of Iuchiban Yasuyo fought against a small horde of nightmarish creatures. Some were minor oni, undead, and Bloodspeakers who were marching against Shinden Asahina. She killed her leader, Asahina Nahomi. Blood Hunt (Region 9 - East Brunswick, NJ, USA) Marriage Yasuyo went to the Castle of the Faithful Bride in Phoenix lands to meet with her betrothed. Kaneka looked to have a respectable sense of irony. The Castle of the Faithful Bride had been built in honor of a Lion samurai forced into a marriage that ultimately destroyed her. Blue Skies, by Rich Wulf She married Kaneka, the same day the Emperor Toturi II did with his bride Akodo Kurako. Neither Kaneka nor Yasuyo have sworn fealty to the other's house, only to one another. Report of Miya Shoin to the Righteous Emperor, Toturi III (Imperial Herald v2 #16) Yasuyo earned her right to retain her family name when she nearly bested Kaneka in a sparring match to determine how they would resolve that particular quandary. Brothers, by Shawn Carman Death of Kaneka Kaneka was killed in combat with the Khan Moto Chagatai in the Battle of Toshi Ranbo in 1169. The Truest Test, Part 3, by the Legend of the Five Rings Story Team For a brief time Yasuyo returned with her sensei Kozue. The Destroyer War, Part 8, by Shawn Carman & Nancy Sauer Race for the Throne During the Race for the Throne the Crane supported the Otomo Daimyo Otomo Hoketuhime's claim, but there was a contingent among the Crane who believed the Shogun’s widow Doji Yasuyo should take the throne. Yasuyo was hidden since her husband's death and any attempt to locate her failed. Harbinger, by Shawn Carman Yasuyo appealed to those who wanted the Toturi dynasty to continue. Nagori visited her and confirmed Yasuyo would obey her Lady's order. Domotai could command Yasuyo to declare support for the Otomo, or if Yasuyo's options increased, she would try Hoketuhime made the same for Yasuyo, reaping the benefits. Plans Within Plans (The Race for the Throne Book), by Nancy Sauer Destroyer War Hidden Moon Dojo Yasuyo was again at Chikushudo to complete her training with her sensei. When Yasuyo came back to Ningen-do, she appeared at the Hidden Moon Dojo, a secretive holding, unknown even by many Scorpion. She was invited to remain there, and any attempt to leave the dojo would be barred by the Scorpion by force, and lethally if necessary. She was visited many times by Soshi Tishi, the Imperial Historian, and Yasuyo considered him a friend. In 1173 during the Destroyer War, she told Tishi the dojo would be doomed by the force of Kali-Ma. The Scorpion intelligence had not been noticed the impending attack, but after Yasuyo explained her travelings between realms, Tishi was convinced. The Imperial Historian ordered the evacuation, and Yasuyo waited the imminent arrival of her sensei to move again to Chikushudo. Ashio Yasuyo arrived to the village of Ashio, where she met the Onyx Champion Takasho, who had found a way to defeat the Destroyers of Kali-Ma by means of maho. He was very enthusiastic about his discovery, but Yasuyo was disgusted by Takasho's demonstration. Takasho's foul magic, while defeated the Destroyers, tainted the earth of the land. The two parted as enemies. The Destroyer War, Part 10, by Shawn Carman Palace of Crimson Shadows Yasuyo returned to the Empire lines and met the Fourth Imperial Legion and his commander, Akodo Areru. He was positioned to defend the Palace of Crimson Shadows, the next place the Destroyers would assault. The Destroyer War, Part 11, by Shawn Carman Bishamon's Curse In the region of Bishamon's Curse the crane maiden joined Mirumoto Kalen, who was outnumbered by the forces of Kali-Ma. They killed the enemies but Yasuyo was grievously wounded in the fight. The Destroyer War, Part 18, by Shawn Carman Death Yasuyo did not recover from her wounds. The Celestial Edition Dead List, by Shawn Carman Years later an area in the Colonies was named Yasuyo's Final Lesson to honor her. 2012 Kotei: The Age of Exploration See also * Doji Yasuyo/Meta External Links * Doji Yasuyo (Gold) * Doji Yasuyo Exp (An Oni's Fury) * Doji Yasuyo Exp2 (Hidden City) * Doji Yasuyo Exp3 (Emerald and Jade Championship) Category:Crane Clan Members Category:Members of the Gozoku Category:Magistrates